Recording and prompting device



May 19, 1931. H. T. WILKINS ,8

RECORDING AND PROMPTING DEVICE Filed Feb. 1, 1950 INVENTOR 'Harry'llwlkms- B Y W A TTORNEY Patented May 19, 1931] r "U E TAT ATENT joFiF csonvIL-Ln 'r. BOUNDS, OFICEN'ERALIA, rumors [RECORDING] AND rnorar'rincrDEVICE Application filed February 1, 1930. Serial No. 425,106.

' r This invention relates to a note recording and promptingdeviceandparticularly to a device which contains a long strip of paperor other material on which notes may be jetted 1 down from time to timeand' which may be used as a prompter when making a speech or whenwriting a chronical of the events or things suggested by the notes. I

The b ect of the invention is toprovide a device which will be providedwith a movable recordin strip ,on which notes may be jotted downfandwhich may be used in the future for preparing complete chronicals or asa re- Ininder when making an address.

A further object of the invention is to pro,- vide such a devicelwithsufiicient tension means forkeeping the recording strip flat andsupported so that the records may be readily madethereon. f I r Anotherobject is to provide a device which may be of such construction thatitmay be concealed in the'hands o f'a speaker and may be operated so as tomove the strip to reveal n'ewsubjects in proper sequence. v 7

According to the invention the device is rectangular in form and isprovided with ya supply roll containing a recording strip and a take-uproll for receiving the strip after it is passed over a table Where notesand memoranda maybe written thereon, means for pro-v viding propertension to keep the strip taut between the rolls, meansiior operatingeither of the rolls for advancing or retr'acting'the strip, andmeansfor'holding the strip flat on the table portion, The drawingsillustrate an embodiment of the invention and the views therein are asfollows: s

Figurel is a side view of the device showing a portion ofthe coverbroken away,

Figure 2 is atop plan view with the recording strip omitted and showsthe cover removed and placed beneath the body of the device, 7

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on'the line-3-3 ofFigure 2 and with the recording strip incorporated therein,

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4.4 of Figure 2 andshows a crank connected to one of the advance pinions to advance or'retract-thestrip and is primarily intended for devices of a larger sizethan those used for concealment in the hand,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detailed view shcwing the manner of connectingthecrank, an

of the pinion and pilot wheel and is taken on the line 66 of'Figure '2.r 1 r The device comprises a casing 11 whichis generally rectangular inshape and hasits end walls curved, as at 12. Mounted ';in one Figure 6is a fragmentary sectional view end of the casing is a roll 13 whichmaybe made of wood and provided with a tapering slot 14 extending throughthe same for receiving the tapered end of a recordingstrip so as tosecure the same to said roll andinsure the take-up thereof when saidroll is turned. I I v This roll fits at one end onto the pin 16 betweenwhich said roll and the inner part of the casing is asmall spiral spring17 which urges theroll toward the "other side of the casingand pressesthe pilot wheell8 against saidcasing. I i r This pilot wheel is securedto the end of the rolland its bars 19 are spaced to mesh with the teethof an operating pinion 21 which is mounted'on a shaft 22 rotatablymounted in the sides ot the casing.

The other end of'thejdevice isalso',pro

vided with a roll 23 whose one end fits on the pin 24- and'this pin' isalso provided with a spring '26 for pressing the pilot wheel 27 againstthe opposite side of the casing and the bars of this pilot wheel meshwith the pinion'28 which is mounted on the shaft 29 extendingbetweenvthe sides of the casing.

V The arrangement ofparts in the rolls-13 and 23are exactly opposite,that is to say,

they are, reversed so that thepilot Wheel and pinions' 18 and 21 of thefront roll'andthe pilot wheel 27 and pinion28. ofthe rear roll are onopposite sides ot the casing. Y

- Between theirolls 13: and 23 and flush with thetop of the casing 11 isaplatform or table 31"and this table is cut out at the points 32 and33150 provide a space forpermittingthe upper end of the pinions toextend above the ion casing so that they may be readily operated by thethumb of the user.

The platform is provided with confining strips 34 and 36 extending fromopposite sides of the casing and along opposite edges of the table so asto hold the recording strip 37 flat on said table.

The casing is provided with a cover 38 whose inturned walls 39 snuglyfit over the casing 11 and when the device is in use the cover may beremoved from the position in which it is shown in Figure 1 and slippedunder the casing, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

The casing 11 and cover 38 may be made of any light metal pressed toshape or of any light material such as bakelite, etc.

The table 31 may be formed integral with the casing 11 and its one side,such as shown at 41, may be bent over and its other side may be brazedor soldered to the upper edge of the casing.

This table or platform is perfectly level and forms a means for'properlysupporting the recording strip so that notes may be made thereon bymerely holding the device in I .prompter by a speaker, its small sizewill permit of its being concealed in either hand, the stripon which thenotes are recorded having been wound onto the roll 13, these notes maybe passed across the table by the speaker merely rotating the pinion 28while, if desired, and if it is necessary to refer to any notes formerlyexhibited, the pinion 21 may be likewise-rotated'in the reversedirection.

In Figures 4 and 5 I have shown the shaft 29 provided with a crank 4E2.If desired, both rolls may be arranged to connect the crank. This will,of course, be utilized where devices larger than the hand type are usedand particularly in the case of musicians and others-who wish to advanceor retract copy.

The end of the shaft 29 is provided with a threaded hole l3 while thecrank is provided with a threaded pin 44, which said pin fits into the.threaded hole and when the crank is turned the shaft rotates therewith.This will advance the recording strip from the roll 13 to the roll 23and will eliminate the fumbling'of copy by musicians and others.

Of course, as aprompter, the device may be used by actors, singers,clergymen, station, sight-seeing and points of interest announcers, byguides in public and private places, and also by instructors-andsalesmen. It is particularly. adapted for memorizing any subject and maybe carried in the vestpocket by the owner, although for other purposesthe device may be made in varying sizes.

Of course, the. recording and prompting device illustrated may bemodified and changed in various ways without departing from theinvention herein set forth and hereafter claimed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A recording and prompting device comprising a casing, a table withinthe casing, supply and receiving rollers journaled upon opposite sidesof the table and provided with elements defining the width of the stripto be employed, and confining fingers juxtaposed to the table andattached at one end thereto and projected from opposite sidessubstantially parallel with the rollers and each stopping short of theside opposite its attachment, said fingers being spaced apart a distancegreater than the width otthe strip defined by the rollers.

2. A recording and prompting device comprising a casing, a table withinthe casing, supply and receiving rollers journaled upon opposite sidesof the table and provided with heads defining the width of the strip tobe employed, and confining fingers juxtaposed to the table and attachedatone end thereto and projected from opposite sides substantiallyparallel with the rollers and each stopplng short of the side oppositeits'attach ment, said fingers being spaced apart adistance greater thanthe width of the strip defined by the rollers.

if. A recording and prompting device comprising a casing, a table withinthe casing,

supply and receiving rollers journaled upon 7 opposite sides of thetable and provided with elements defining the width of the strip to beemployed, and confining fingers juxtaposed to the table. and attached atone end thereto and projected from opposite sides substantially parallelwith the rollers and free at the end opposite its attachment, saidfingers being spaced apart a distance greater than the width of he stripdefined by the rollers.

4 A writing device including a platen, means for supporting a recordstrip in posltion to be led longitudinally over the platen, andretaining fingers extending in opposed relation substantially across theplaten at its opposite ends, the fingers being secured in position atopposite marginal edges of the platen.

In testimonywhereof I have signed my name'to this specification.

HARRY T. VWILKINS.

